Chipotle Dressing
INGREDIENTS
¼ Cup Olive Oil
¼ Cup Fresh Lime Juice
¼ Cup Red Wine Vinegar
2 Large Chopped Garlic Cloves
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
7 Ounces Chipotles In Adobo (7 Ounce Can)
In a blender, pulse the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper until mixed. Drain the canned chipotles, pouring all of the adobo sauce into the blender. Add the chipotles to taste and puree the dressing. One will give the dressing some heat and two or three will produce a medium hot dressing. Four or more will make a hot, hot, hot dressing. Chop any remaining chipotles and serve them on the side if you wish. Serves 6
Baba Ghanoush
INGREDIENTS
2 Small Eggplants (1 Pound Each)
2 Thinly Sliced Garlic Cloves
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 Teaspoons Fresh Lemon Juice
¼ Cup Tahini (Sesame Seed Paste)
½ Cup Plain Yogurt
½ Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Preheat oven to 400° F. With a knife, cut slits all over eggplants and insert garlic slices in the slits. Place the eggplants in a baking pan and roast for 1 hour until the eggplant is collapsed and tender. Remove from the oven and cool enough to handle. Cut the eggplants in half. Scoop out the flesh and place in a colander se over a bowl. Discard the skin and let drain 10 minutes.
Transfer the eggplant to a food processor with a knife blade attached. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add the cumin, tahini and yogurt, pulsing to combine. Spoon into a bowl and cover & refrigerate up to 4 hours. Serve with toasted pita bread wedges. Makes 2 cups
Baked Camembert
I discovered Baked Camembert while living in France. Baked Camembert is a great appetizer or can be eaten as a meal.
INGREDIENTS
One 9 Ounce Camembert (In Wooden Box)
1 Peeled and Sliced Garlic Clove
½ Teaspoon Fresh Thyme Leaves
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Small Baguette (Cut into Slices)
2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Extra Olive Oil For Brushing
Sea Salt
Preheat oven to 400° F. Remove the camembert from the box and throw away any wax paper packaging. Take a 10 inch square of foil and place in the wooden box. Place the camembert back inside the box. Pierce the top of the camembert with the tip of a knife and push in the slices of garlic along with thyme leaves. Drizzle with honey. Loosely scrunch the foil up over the cheese and set aside. Brush two 12 inch square sheets, the size of your baking sheet, of parchment paper with oil. Line the baking sheet with one of the oiled parchment sheets – oil side up. Spread the slices of baguette over the sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with crushed sea salt. Place the remaining sheet of parchment – oil side down – over the bread. Place in the oven with the camembert and cook both for 10 minutes or until the cheese has risen and the bread is crisp. Open up the foil and dip in the hot baguette. This is delicious! Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 ¾ Cups Cream Cheese
1 Cup Sour Cream
4 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
2 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 Pound & 2 Ounces Fresh Cooked Crabmeat
1 Cut In Half Garlic Clove
Butter For Greasing
Salt & Pepper
Fresh Dill For Garnish
Crackers Or French Bread To Serve
Combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Add the crabmeat, salt & pepper and gently stir together. Taste and add extra Worcestershire sauce if needed. Cover and let chill for up to 24 hours.
When you are ready to heat the dip, remove it from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350° F. Rub the cut sides of the garlic cloves over the base and sides of an oven proof dish suitable for serving from. Then lightly grease and spoon the crab mixture into the dish and smooth the surface. Heat the dip through in the oven for 15 minutes.
The dip is best kept warm when served, traditionally by using a chafing dish heated by a candle. Either spoon the dip into such a dish, sprinkle with dill and set over the heat source or set the dip in its ovenproof dish over a fondue burner and garnish with dill. Serve with crackers or French bread pieces. Serves 8 to 12
Victoria’s Jalapeno Bean Dip
INGREDIENTS
5 Medium Jalapeno Peppers
1 ½ Cups Cooked Pinto Beans
1 Cup Cooked Black Beans
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
½ Teaspoon Salt
1 Garlic Clove
½ Teaspoon Oregano
1 Squeezed Lime
1 Teaspoon Cumin
½ Cup Salsa
Preheat oven to 325° F. Cut off tops of peppers. Combine whole peppers with all ingredients in a food processor and “puree.” Pour processed ingredients into a covered dish and put in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with tortilla chips. Serves 8
**I like to cook dried beans instead of using cans. If you are pressed for time then canned beans are ok.
Spinach Artichoke Dip
INGREDIENTS
10 Ounce Package Spinach
14 ½ Ounce Can of Artichoke Hearts Drained
½ Cup Jar of Roasted Red Peppers Drained
1 Bunch Green Onions
¾ Cup Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 Chopped Jalapenos
Juice of ½ Lemon
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Add drained spinach, drained artichoke hearts, drained fire roasted red peppers, jalapenos and green onions to a food processor and chop until you like the consistency. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Season with salt & pepper and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.